A Weak Week Recap

Hi all, sorry about not posting, but I have been running. I'll just give you a quick recap now and get back to regular programming soon.

I tried running on Wednesday last week at Veterans, but I think a few things kept it from going well. First, last Sunday I tackled the Five Mile Trail and may have had a little too much fun running down the hills. My shins and calves were quite tender last week. Second, I think I laced my shoes too tight. Third, my back was SUPER wonky on Wednesday and I could never really find a balanced stride when I was running. It's weird, I felt like I was lopsided, which, according to what I know about chiropractic stuff, I probably was. Either way, I lasted a solid 15 minutes before giving in and calling it a night. I felt like I was running on stone legs from the knee down. That's not so comfortable.

But I went right out again on Thursday, this time with Caitlin at Miami Meadows. I'm not sure how long we went, but it was good. Caitlin kicked my butt big time, and Emalynn decided that neither of us were going to run much longer when she became very "vocal" about her dislike of the evening's festivities.

Then I hit the road again on Sunday afternoon at Juilfs. I ran for 24 minutes straight, no walking. Yay! That felt good. I even did a little off-path running, just to see how I managed. I like it. It's almost like I was concentrating so hard on not tripping or spraining an ankle that I forgot to be tired. I immediately remembered to be tired when I got back to the paved path. I also remembered I had to pee.

So that's that. The weather is fall-like here in Cincy, and it's making me eager to get down to business. I'm actually excited about it!

Shout out to Mr. Purulent Smile for his major running accomplishment this weekend! Next stop, 5K!

A Huge Step Up

Yay!

Yay!

Yay!

I just got back from my evening run--which happens to mark my third day in a row of running--and it was HUGE!

I just completed Week 5, Day 2 of Couch to 5K! (And I finished it without dying. That's important.)

Week 5, Day 2:
5-minute warm-up
Run for 8 minutes
Walk for 5 minutes
Run for 8 minutes
Cool down for 5 minutes

I ran for 8 minutes. Twice. Wheee! I knew I could do it after last Tuesday's "test" at the end of my 5-minute run. I went for a total of 8 minutes then and I knew I could do more.

I'm starting to understand why Week 5 makes such huge step-ups (from 5-minute runs to 8 minutes to 20 minutes). It's like once you've hit a certain number of minutes running, a little (or a lot) more doesn't really matter all that much. Nothing is going to hurt worse, your breathing isn't going to get more strained ... you're just going to get tired. Frankly, I can stay un-tired for 30 minutes and I think anyone can, really. (Assuming you're on a flat running path, at least.)

I still can't fathom being able to run for 20 or 30 minutes straight, though. I know I said it about Week 5, Day 1, but I think I'll be sitting on this Day for a long time before I get brave enough to try 20-minute intervals. I so wish there was an in-between. I'm afraid that I'll get impatient and wander off the plan again. Maybe I'll sit on this day until the Thanksgiving Day race and see what I want to do next.

Meh, too far in the future.

So, a quick review of this weekend ...

As I said, today was my third day in a row of running. I skipped a weekday workout last week to celebrate my "first 29th birthday," as my mother calls it. I figure it was a valid reason. Anyway, this weekend's weather was so nice and I had a big fat nothing planned, so I ran.

I joined Caitlin for another run at Miami Meadows on Saturday afternoon. This time, Caitlin brought her 11-month-old daughter and a side-by-side running stroller with her. This was Caitlin's first time out with the stroller and certainly my first encounter with trying to run with one. I volunteered to share the burden and we stuck with a Week 4 workout, considering the extra weight of the stroller and the horror stories I've heard about running with those things.

That was a smart move.

Those things are heavy! I can't even begin to imagine how people manage with two toddlers and/or young children strapped in. Whoa. Props to you who do it (John), you crazy people! Needless to say, we both got a good workout.

Sunday I tried a new running path at a park from my childhood. Short Park in Newtown (second one on the website) used to be a lot smaller than it is now. I played there when I was little, as did my mom and her friends. Now it's about twice the size and includes a 0.55-mile walk/run path.

The pictures on the website don't do it justice ... and I mean that in a bad way. It looks like a sad little abandoned park. Not the scary inner-city ones--just a sad one. There's a broken slide with caution tape wrapped around it, a sand volleyball court with no net and waist-high weeds, holey soccer nets, playground equipment from when I was little (or older), and a pretty nice set of basketball courts. Just sad.

I tried to take pictures, and totally thought I was, until I got home and realized that I forgot to take the running armband off my iPhone before snapping away. 1) It was really bright outside and you can't really see the screen that well anyway (since my brightness is turned down) and 2) I forgot the armband doesn't have a hole for the camera. I ended up with 6 pictures of blackness. Yeah. I'd promise some from next time I run there, but I don't think it will happen.

I ran well there, though. The path is flat with one short, steep uphill and a countering short, steep downhill to account for the elevation change.

So that's all for now. Super excited about my Week 5, Day 2 accomplishment. Wheee! Now it's time for dinner. Goodnight!

By the way, the front of my hips (hip flexors?) hurt. What's with that?

8 Minutes At Miami Meadows

1. I ran at a new park on Tuesday. I love it.
2. I joined my pal, Caitlin, for the run at that new park.
3. It's getting dark earlier. Sad.
4. I totally ran for 8 minutes at the end of my workout.

Miami Meadows is a big stinkin' park in Milford (on the east side of Cincinnati). It took me about 20 minutes to get there, which translated to a rather dark ending to our little weeknight workout since it was about 6:40 (or 6:39) before I got there. I love Fall, but I hate that it's getting dark earlier. Booo!

It's a FAAAAH-bulous park! Click here to check out the park map (PDF). It's nice and flat. It's big. The running path is 1.3 miles around so it's easier to log some extra distance. It has a lake/pond, which means there are ducks, which I love (hate birds but love ducks).

Pictures of Miami Meadows I stole from my pal, Jesse (Caitlin's husband):

OH! Speaking of birds ... we saw huge bird just standing in the lake. It looked like a cross between a giraffe and a pterodactyl. Ideas? Crane? In Ohio?

Giraffe

Pterodactyl

So, aside from frightening birds and impending darkness, it was a great run. We did a Week 4 run (run 3 minutes, walk 1.5, run 5, walk 2.5, lather, rinse, repeat). On the last running interval, I broke away from Caitlin and decided to see how long I could go. Since I went for 6.5 minutes during my last experiment, and since I felt pretty good that night, I knew I could do better. I even had hopes of maybe reaching 10 minutes. Well, I didn't get to 10 minutes, but I did get to 8 minutes.

8 minutes of running without stopping! Wheee!

I will be returning to that park (probably on weekends though) and I will continue to run extra at the end of my last running interval. I'm officially hopeful of moving up to Week 5, Day 2 in the near future (it includes a few 8 minute running intervals). It certainly doesn't seem impossible anymore.

In conclusion, I am still really happy with my decision to stick to the C25K plan instead of my indecisive and impatient "let's try this" method. It's really nice to see and feel progress like this.

I'm also still really grateful to have people I can run with and talk to about the shared experience of running. I read something today about how surrounding yourself with positive people is not only good for your mental health, but it's good for your efforts to workout and get healthy. I don't think I'd still be doing this crazy running thing if it weren't for all of you who read and comment and talk to me about your experiences and let me vent about mine. So thanks, and keep it up!

Talk it out. Hug it out. Get healthy. Watch out for Pterodactyl-giraffe birds.

Ha!